Cleaning your home with toxic chemicals isnt really cleaning, is it? You may be picking up grease and grime, but youre leaving behind a trail of toxic fumes and residue. Did you know that the number one cause of household poisoning is dish detergent? Or that air fresheners are made with an airpollutant called formaldehyde? And then there’s sodium hypochlorite, an ingredient found in almost all cleaning products, which is quite commonly used in chemical warfare. Cmon, we deserve better.
Photo Credit: Care2
Since our ancestors didnt use this junk and they survived for thousands of years, maybe we should take a leaf out of their book. Build a cleaner lifestyle with recipes you can make yourself, or get the whole family involved for a cool weekend project. The basic ingredients you’ll need are baking soda, washing soda, white vinegar, soap (not detergent) and lemon juice.
We’ve got your back:

Fruity-cinnamon air freshener

1 pot of water

2 cinnamon sticks

½ lemon or orange  sliced

Fill the pot ¾ of the way with water and add the cinnamon sticks and fruit. Simmer one to two hours. You can substitute cinnamon with allspice or cloves for variation.

Super clean coffee machine

Combine all ingredients into the coffee pot and swirl vigorously for 30 seconds, making sure all ingredients are scouring the entire pot. The washing soda is a natural scouring agent and will remove scale build-up. Rinse with water. This process will restore your coffee pot to its shiny new look and make your coffee taste its best.

Fresh scent carpet

1 box corn starch

or

1 box baking soda

Sprinkle corn starch or baking soda on top of rugs and carpets and vacuum. These two ingredients are natural deodorizers and will have your carpets smelling fresh in no time.

The fresh outdoors toilet bowl cleaner

2 tablespoons baking soda

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1 lemon

Add the baking soda and vinegar and scrub toilet clean; squeeze juice from the lemon into the toilet for a zesty, citrus-fresh scent.

Tubs & tiles

¼ cup baking soda

½ cup white vinegar

Warm water

Combine ingredients into a bucket and stir. Use a damp sponge or mop and clean scum free.